Cracked these two oldies last night:
1. Donkey&Goat Syrah FenaughtyVnyd/ElDorado (14.4%; U) Berkeley 2008: Med.dark color w/ some browning; strong smokey/Rhonish/earthy/mushroomy/ElDorado some blackberry/Syrah light toasty/oak rather StJoseph/Rhonish/bit rustic slightly tired fairly complex nose; fairly tart rather earthy/mushroomy/ElDorado slight blackberry/Syrah bit dried out/tired light toasty/oak flavor w/ light drying tannins; very long bit drying/tired rather earthy/mushroomy/ElDorado slight blackberry/Syrah bit complex finish w/ light astringent tannins; a rather interesting ElDorado Syrah but drying out/tired and well on its downside.
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2. Donkey&Goat Syrah PerliVnyd/MendoRidge (14.1%; U) 2010: Med.color w/ some bricking; very strong earthy/Syrah/blackberry/ripe/boysenberry slight toasty/oak bit cedary/oldRed some Rhonish/smokey bit riper/rustic some complex nose; fairly tart/tangy strong Syrah/blackberry/boysenberry some earthy/dusty/Rhonish/whole-cluster rather earthy/rustic flavor w/ modest tangy tannins; med.long tart/tangy some earthy/Syrah/blackberry/bit spicy bit toasty/oak/Rhonish/w-c slight cedary/oldRed finish w/ light tangy tannins; a rather earthy/rustic/MendoRidge Syrah that's starting its downhill slide.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I first met Tracey & Jared at a RhoneRangers FtMason tasting yrs ago when they showed their first Syrah. I took an instant like to both them & their Syrah. I continue to occasionally buy their wines and always stop into their tasting room when I'm in Berkeley. Since those first wines, they've moved more & more into natural winemaking. Yet their wines are always well made & never show any of that natty character.
Tom